Short Answer Questions

1. Why is there some truth in Granpa's belief that the way people sound when they talk can be more important than the words they use?

2. How does Granpa help Little Tree overcome feeling empty and sad after Ringer's death?

3. In Chapter 6, how does the author explain that Pa knows Indians are around?

4. Little Tree's bed is made of what material?

5. What does Little Tree find interesting that makes him watch the umbrella spider for hours?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Granma explain the existence of body and spirit to Little Tree in Chapter 8?

2. How does the beginning of Chapter 10 contrast with the ending of the incident in which Little Tree protects the whiskey still from the outsiders?

3. What does the reader learn in Chapter 3 about the librarian's attitude to lending books to Little Tree and Granpa when they visit the library?

4. In Chapter 3, how does Granpa explain George Washington's decision to introduce a tax on whiskey? How does Granpa justify this belief?

5. At the end of Chapter 2, why does the author end with a poem?

6. What is the importance of revealing that Granma and Granpa have friends and visitors like Pine Billy?

7. How does Little Tree's independent selection of a secret place inform the reader about his character?

8. What is the significance of the title of the chapter "I kin ye Bonnie Bee"?

9. How does Granpa's attitude to fox hunting make him special and show his regard for nature?

10. Apart from hunting, what is the special reason for Granpa taking Little Tree out for this all-night adventure?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

It is sometimes the case that major characters in a story are used by the author to express his / her own point-of-view. Of all of the characters in "The Education of Little Tree," suggest with reasons, which one(s) you believe is (are) reflecting most closely the author's opinions.

Essay Topic 2

The episodes in the novel that have to do with the church and church-going present Little Tree and the reader with instances of hypocrisy and contradiction associated with Christianity. Referring closely to important incidents in the novel, discuss the author's exploration of hypocrisy and contradictions in the behavior of representatives of Christianity.

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the novel, the author integrates the use of Standard American English with English that reflects the influence of the Cherokee language and other dialects. In light of this, discuss the advantages and limitations of using different types of language in the novel.